1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for instantaneously monitoring body functions from patients at remote locations, automatically recognizing and causing the obtained abnormal data to be transmitted, allowing contemporaneous data and voice transmissions, and for locating a patient with a problem, which system also allows for a physician to receive data indicative or otherwise of the monitored body functions in real-time and in some instances to dispense medication to the patient from a remote location.
2. Description of Related Art
There have been numerous improvements in electronics useful in the monitoring of body functions, such as for example, heart arrhythmia, respiratory rate and solutes/glucose. Usually these devices will record data indicative of the body function, for example heartbeat or cardiovascular system or cardio-respiratory system, and store the data in a memory device. A patient wearing a 24-hour or a 30-day monitor will have data indicative of the monitored body function (e.g., heartbeat) recorded and stored in a memory device. The recorded data is then taken to a physician or technician for interpretation and comparison with reference data. In the example of a heart attack, the time lapse between the actual event that triggered the problem and the analysis of the recorded data may be too long to help the patient. This time lapse is typically 72 hours or more for a 24-hour monitor. It may be necessary to promptly dispense medicine or apply treatment to help overcome the problem detected and the time delay between the event and the analysis of the recorded data may prove to be too late. Moreover, it is necessary for the patient, or an attendant, to hook up the recording device to a telephone line and transmit the data to a receiving center.
In the above-described scenario, there is no true patient-health care professional interface. Hence, there is a problem where a heart patient has an arrhythmia or any form of cardiac dysfunction. The patient could fall and be injured, and no one would know about the problem or where the patient is located.
Therefore, a need exists for a system and method that will provide rapid or immediate access to data for analysis of a problem following the body function event being monitored, such as an irregular heartbeat, abnormal breathing pattern, or abnormal blood sugar. It is also desirable to be able to locate the patient in order to dispatch medical help or to immediately dispense medication.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system that can monitor body function data and automatically relay this data to a central monitoring system in the event of a problem. Typically this could comprise cardiac monitoring, respiratory function monitoring, glucose monitoring, dialysis monitoring, etc.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a body function monitoring system that allows a physician, who may be situated at a completely different location than the patient being monitored, to observe data indicative of the monitored body function in substantially real-time.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for monitoring body functions of a multiplicity of patients who are mobile and situated at a variety of different locations.
An advantage of the present invention is that patients may continue with a normal life style and have a vital body function, such as the heartbeat, monitored and made available in real time to medical technicians or physicians situated at completely different locations than the patient.
Another advantage of the present invention is that a physician may receive real-time data indicative of a monitored body function of their patients.
Still another advantage of the present invention is that the physician, who is at a remote location from the patient, can initiate the recording of more detailed data indicative of specifics of the monitored body function and receive a display in real-time of the data.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is that a patient can initiate the recording of data indicative of a monitored body function, whereupon the data is automatically transmitted to a central monitoring station for interpretation by medical personnel.
Another advantage of the invention is that the central monitoring station may remotely activate a medication dispensing device which is connected by way of cables, radio frequency, infrared or other means of communication, or is designed to be part of the event monitor, which receives commands from the central monitoring station to deliver medication to the patient. This medication dispensing device may be an Automatic Electronic Defibrillator, a diaphramitic or intercostal muscle stimulating device, an insulin or glucagon injector, or other device designed to immediately aid in the treatment of the patients body function abnormality. This device may also be connected to current intravenous pump machines, which deliver life saving medication to patients outside of the hospital setting, such as dobutamine or antibiotics.
These and other objects and advantages, which will become apparent as the invention is described in detail below, are provided by a system for monitoring body functions from patients at remote locations that includes an event monitor attached to the patient including sensors attached to relevant parts of the patient for monitoring body functions. The system also includes a central monitoring station including a server having a memory attached thereto; and, a communication link between the event monitor and the central monitoring station. The method of this invention includes the steps of sensing the monitored body function by means of sensors attached to the patient. If any irregularities are detected, data indicative of the monitored body function is recorded and is automatically transmitted to the central monitoring station. The patient may be located by means of GPS data, when available; and, a physician and the nearest hospital are notified. An attending physician may log onto the central monitoring station and observe real-time data received from the patient.
Still other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein is shown and described only the preferred embodiment of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive, and what is intended to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims. The present invention will become apparent when taken in conjunction with the following description and attached drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts, and which drawings form a part of this application.